It needed a complete new back wheel, that’s what !  Reading this story again I always think back to a Saturday afternoon of my youth, riding with two friends.  I had been perplexed about the clicking coming from my front wheel and despite stopping twice and going round the spokes, I failed to find the source of the noise.  I wasn’t to be perplexed for much longer.  Going downhill at a fair speed riding behind my friends, the front hub collapsed and I was thrown to the ground over the bars, landing on my chest.  I was so winded it was several minutes before I could speak.  The cause was cracking between the spoke holes and when the hub had had enough it just gave up.

I limped with my wreck of my bike to Clitheroe railway station to get a train home and whilst waiting for my train my friends were advised by a porter, who had been taking a keen interest in the bike, wheel and bent forks, “That it was the weight that had done it”.  Thanks Mate !